Ryan J. Fitzhugh is one of the top real estate agents in Palm Beach County Florida. He offers insights into some of the most common errors made by home sellers.

Online PR News – 07-July-2014 – Jupiter, FL – Summer is in full swing in South Florida, and the real estate market here is gaining strength. But even with the recent recovery, many Florida homeowners still have a ways to go to recover the losses they incurred during the housing crash of the late 2000s. Palm Beach County realtor Ryan Fitzhugh believes that things are improving for home sellers, but to be successful in this market, they must avoid making the common mistakes other sellers make.

"The market here in South Florida is steadily improving since the crash a few years ago,” Fitzhugh says. “But it is nowhere near the boom we experienced in the early to mid-2000s. Sellers who want to receive top dollar for their homes need to be proactive and most importantly, stay away from the common traps so many other sellers fall into."

Here is Fitzhugh’s list of the 7 worst mistakes Palm Beach County home sellers need to avoid:

1. Trying to Sell your Home on your Own

"I realize that as a realtor, you would expect me to say that you should not sell your house without a realtor. But the reality is that those who try to sell on their own usually end up with less money in their pocket. There are a couple good reasons for this; number one, home buyers will more often try to lowball “do it yourself” sellers because they know there is no realtor to negotiate with. Number two, a DIY home seller does not have access to the wide range of marketing resources a realtor has. Realtors are able to leverage their marketing infrastructure to give the home seller far greater exposure to targeted buyers.

If you want more proof of the effectiveness of hiring a real estate agent, just look at the president of For Sale By Owner. A few years ago, when it came time to sell his own home, the FSBO president ended up listing it with a realtor."

2. Hiring a Buyer’s Agent rather than a Listing Agent

"Many homeowners do not realize that there is a big difference between a buyer’s agent (an agent that primarily represents buyers during the transaction) and a listing agent (an agent that primarily lists homes for sellers). If you want to sell your home in South Florida, you have a much better chance of success with a listing agent. Listing agents have multiple homes for sale in the area, and are much more in tune with your target market. By contrast, buyer’s agents are not specialists in selling home, so they are far less likely to be employing the best and most advanced marketing methods."

“Many homeowners do not realize that there is a big difference between a buyer’s agent (an agent that primarily represents buyers during the transaction) and a listing agent (an agent that primarily lists homes for sellers). If you want to sell your home in South Florida, you have a much better chance of success with a listing agent.”

3. Pricing the Home too High

"It is tempting when the market is in recovery to ‘shoot for the stars’ and price your home on the high end of what is selling in your area. After all, that strategy worked out well for many sellers during the boom a decade ago. But in today’s market, that strategy can backfire. If your home is priced too high, it can sit on the market a long time, at which point buyers will start to wonder what’s wrong with it and shy away."

4. Not Giving the Home ‘Curb Appeal’

"First impressions are critical. When a buyer walks up to the door, they already have an idea based on the look of the exterior of whether or not they really like the home. If the first impression is positive, they will be far more willing to overlook some imperfections on the inside because they are already in the process of ‘falling in love’ with the home."

5. Not Making Needed Repairs on the Home Interior

"That said, even if a buyer is blown away by the exterior, they can quickly fall out of love with the home if there are too many blemishes on the inside. Be sure to make all the small repairs, especially in the most visible areas; you do not want to give the buyer a reason to cross your home off their list."

6. Failure to Follow the Advice of a Stager

"Staging is critical to increasing the chances of a successful home sale. At a minimum, you should get rid of all the clutter and remove all personal items and any unnecessary furniture. Put it in the garage or rent a storage unit if you have to. The idea is that buyers should be able to picture themselves living in your home. And in general, this is much easier to accomplish without too much clutter and personal effects. I would recommend going a step further and consulting a stager for more advanced guidance on making the home interior attractive."

7. Not Leaving the Home during Showings

"This happens far more often than it should; a home seller does not want to leave the house for an hour while the buyer looks it over. But having the seller around makes the buyer uncomfortable and far less likely to form a good impression of the house. Sure it’s an inconvenience to pick up and leave during a showing, but this is part of the home selling process."

About Ryan Fitzhugh Top Realtor Jupiter Florida:

Ryan Fitzhugh is a South Florida real estate agent with over 8 years of experience in the industry. A Palm Beach native, Ryan has lived in this area his entire adult life and has in-depth knowledge of the local markets. Ryan has also worked in land development and other areas of the real estate business, giving him a wider perspective than most agents in the area. Ryan is presently a listing agent for Keller Williams, combining his strong negotiating skills and unwavering commitment to customer service to give his clients the advantage they need in the competitive South Florida market. Ryan operates with character, discipline, honesty and integrity; providing the personal touch that makes him one of the top realtors in Palm Beach County.